Agricultural trade show proves a leader in community events

Kevin Laliberte
Smoky River Express

Smoky River Agricultural Trade Show was – as usual – another big hit – thanks to the committed organizers, exhibitors, volunteers and sponsors. Since the show began over 20 years ago, the event has grown – appropriate for a show that promotes agriculture. Smoky River Applied Research and Demonstration Association (SARDA) has had little difficulty in securing exhibitors, sponsors, and volunteers. So why does the agricultural trade show continue to thrive and boom while other community events in the region sputter and are on the verge of dying? Simply, the trade show is truly a regional event. Smoky River Agricultural Trade Show is successful because it is – - Organized by one group-organization – an organization that has paid staff and a strong board with members throughout the region. - A high-quality top-rated event that is well-known in Alberta and across western Canada and is competitive with other similar events. - Staged every two years. - Attractive to volunteers. Other events in the region like Falher Honey Festival and the short-lived McLennan Summer Frolic has suffered because they lack this strong organization and community and volunteer support. These events have been organized by a group of organizations and the honey festival has had a paid coordinator – a student who starts in May to organize the event in July. Now in a day and age when people and tourists are attacted to top-quality events within a two or three-hour drive, smaller, lower-quality events are not a major draw, even for local residents. Especially in the past few years, the honey festival has struggled to recruit organizations and volunteers committed to this event that was big for the first six or seven years. If the Smoky River Agricultural Trade Show were organized without a single organization, it, too may have fallen by the wayside. Trade show coordinator Roch Bremont says this show is so successful because it is valued by organizers, exhibitors, sponsors, and volunteers, and they all go home smiling and happy after the show. That’s because they strongly support the event and enjoy it – they all value the role of the event to the region and out into Alberta and western Canada and beyond. Particularly with dwindling support by volunteers in the region and in society in general, organizations will stage successful events only by following the successful model of Smoky River Agricultural Trade Show. Especially also with falling population in this region, events will only be prosperous with a regional focus. Take down the municipal boundaries – get outside the box – and think regional – one community. Just think of the great community events and festivals that could easily be hosted in the Smoky River region by a regional chamber of commerce and possibly with tourism, with full-time staff and a focussed goal. Volunteers are getting tired and burned out, and new volunteers are not coming on stream. Chambers of commerce are normally the organizers of main and major community events throughout Alberta and North America. Do we want to showcase our communities, history, and culture with quality events that make residents proud? Or embarassed and ashamed of their community? Let’s all work together as communities as residents to spotlight our communities in this region as one united community.